Democrat Francine Busby is telling her supporters that this past weekend's disruption by sheriff's deputies of a fundraiser for her congressional campaign shows that she is “drawing serious right-wing fire.”

In a letter e-mailed from her campaign Monday night, Busby asked for supporters' contributions to reach a $200,000 target by yesterday.

“I am going to fight even harder to stop this hateful intimidation,” Busby said in the letter. “I hope that I can count on you to fight this battle with me. . . . Your contribution will show that you aren't afraid to stand with me.”

The fundraiser, held Friday night in a private home in Cardiff, was broken up around 9:30 p.m. by a deputy responding to a noise complaint from a neighbor. Busby had used a microphone to address a crowd for about 30 minutes, a speech that was interrupted by taunts of “Loser!” from an unidentified heckler on a neighboring property.

The evening ended in chaos, with sheriff's cars and a firetruck parked outside, a helicopter circling overhead, a police dog sniffing around, pepper spray in the air and the 60-year-old hostess in handcuffs for refusing to reveal her date of birth to a deputy.

The hostess, Shari Barman, was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a peace officer and battery on a peace officer. San Diego County Undersheriff Bill Gore, who takes over as sheriff Friday, has launched an internal investigation of the incident, including the conduct of Deputy Marshall Abbott, whom witnesses described as “out of control.”

Busby, 58, a former Cardiff school board member, is seeking her party's nomination to run for the 50th Congressional District seat held by Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Carlsbad.

In June 2006, the two ran against each other to replace disgraced Republican Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham, with Bilbray prevailing and finishing Cunningham's term. He also defeated Busby in the November general election for the new two-year term.

Busby's letter said the deputies violated people's civil rights. It did not accuse the Sheriff's Department of being politicalbut focused on the unidentified neighbor.

The letter cited “a politically motivated phone call and an overreaction by a deputy sheriff.”

Jess Durfee, chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party, said he doesn't think the incident will hurt Busby's campaign.

“I don't see how this plays against Francine,” Durfee said. “I think that this will be more of a factor in the sheriff's race, frankly.”

Gore, recently appointed to fill the remainder of retiring Sheriff Bill Kolender's term, is one of five people who will run for the position in 2010.

Michael Rosen, secretary of the San Diego County Republican Party, said Busby showed a lack of respect for neighbors by using an amplified microphone during the evening event.

“As a sheriff's spokesperson asked on Sunday, why didn't Busby show some leadership and defuse the situation?” Rosen said. “I suspect it's because, as folks in her district decided twice in 2006, Busby's leadership skills leave something to be desired.”